Standing on the edge of the world
by Amarant Rose Coral
Summary: Cloud is a fantastic warrior working hard for Shinra INC. His mission is to kill all members of Avalanche. But what happens when he falls for a beautiful young lady in Avalanche? chap 2 up! Cloud is laying the bait, will Avalanche react? Please RR
1. Returning

**Standing on the edge of the world**

Chapter 1: Returning...

A/N: Cloud have the same look as in Kingdom Heart... just if you get confused by his look description.

Ups almost forgot: I don't own Final Fantasy VII! Square Soft owns everything!

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Cloud's steps echoed through the rain-wet street. Midgar was as it always had been. Filled with blood. The slums were no difference from the battlefield. The last 6 years... he had been the loner. Taking each mission he could get. How things had changed. The new order was... different. Harder. Sephieroth just didn't get it... 

He moved strongly through the rain-wet street. He was supposed to meet at the main building. But as far as he could see... he was completely lost. He hadn't been in Midgar for 2 years.

So this was the main building. Shinra's pride. Amazing. He entered the building feeling a lot better by leaving the rain. Of course all the soldiers fast appeared around of him. "Cloud Strife"

His name ran along the soldiers, "this way sir. Sephieroth is waiting together with the president"

He nodded and followed the soldier. This building... was really tall. He didn't give it much thought. He just entered the president's room. "Sephieroth?" he asked.

"Your late" The president said.

"No, no Cloud is never late isn't that right Cloud?" Sephieroth asked jokingly. "We have just started the meeting too early"

"You have a strange humor Sephieroth" Cloud said. He shook his head, "Shall we start this meeting or what?" he asked.

The president nodded, "I want to send you two to our most troubled area. The people in that district are making a lot of trouble for us" he said.

"Send your Turks" Cloud said. He didn't like the thought of killing innocent people... again.

"The main problem is that we can't get near the district without cursing problems," the president said.

"You think a public hero as Sephieroth can go through a district where they hate Shinra Inc?" Cloud asked. "What district are we talking about?" he asked.

"District 7. Here in Midgar we have a gang who's making problems with the mako energy" the president explained, "but you might be right Cloud"

Sephieroth nodded, "Then we'll just send Cloud"

"Man. Discus it with me next time Sephieroth" Cloud said, "Alright I'll do it," he sighed heavily. This new gang thing it would be an easy job. He wanted to get this job over and then maybe a little holiday where he could decide his own life. Right now he was stuck in this. As Sephieroth's fighting partner when that had happened? Oh well. When he was 16 he returned together with Sephieroth and took the test again. Apparently this time he passed without problems. After that he only worked together with Sephieroth. Was Sephieroth a friend? Maybe. "District 7 very well. But I'm taking my bike" he said without doubt.

"Fine" President Shinra said, "don't fail us Cloud"

"He won't" Sephieroth said. "Cloud will handle the job with the exact care as it needs"

He didn't want to listen to Sephieroth. Sephieroth was caught in it for good. So many secrets about Sephieroth but no time to deal with them. Cloud left the room. He could end this job in maybe 2 weeks and return. He fast found his motor cycle and drove down to the slums. It was a strange thought how people could live in garbage. Simply nothing. The slums nothing interesting... else than that little girl who was hunted by 2 men.

Her little body was shaking in fear. "...Daddy" she mumbled.

He prepared his sword he had to help her. Who knew maybe her father could help him finding this gang. He raised his sword ready for battle. It wouldn't be the first time he was fighting from his motorcycle and probably not the last time. The two men fell easy. Their death meant nothing, "little girl are you alright?" he asked softly.

Her eyes showed courage. "...Yeah... who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Cloud. You?" he asked with a weak smile. He didn't want to scare the kid.

"I'm Marlene!" she said proudly. "...I want to go home to my daddy" she said.

"I'll give you a ride. In what district?" he asked as he helped her up in front of him.

"District 7. In the bar... daddy is there" Marlene answered. She leaned comforting against his arms.

He nodded. He drove carefully. A little girl probably wasn't used to high speed. But she didn't say anything... first when they arrived in the 7 district. It was really some slums. Whoever lived here... couldn't live here because of the view. He fast parked his motorcycle and saw the little girl ran into a house. He took a deep breath and entered the bar. Something was odd here... not the glares they all gave him. But the fact he was a newcomer. He didn't wear any Shinra uniform hadn't done it in years. Yet the rare shone in his eyes was something people used to connect with mako energy and Shinra.

"Who are ya?" a man asked. If it wasn't because the man already seemed so big and carried a machine gun arm Cloud would have been surprised. But he had seen many of these types.

"Cloud" Marlene answered, "He saved me daddy," she said with true joy burning in her eyes.

"Is that right?" the man stared deeply at Cloud.

"Yes" he simply answered.

Everyone in the bar stopped.

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**To Be continued!**

**A/N: **I hope you like it! I have worked really hard!

Thank you for reading it!

Please Review

Love

Amarant Rose Coral


	2. The girl in the bar

**Standing on the edge of the world**

A/N: Before the next chappie starts… I would like to thank ALL of you people who have reviewed Standing on the edge of the world. You guys really thank you… you kept the story alive. THANKS:D

**Chapter 2:** The girl in the bar

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Tifa stopped breathing. Was it Cloud? Was it the same Cloud as 6 years ago? Cloud hadn't changed that much. He still had blond hair, still blue eyes and still tough looking. Still the same attitude like no one could defeat him. What was he doing here?

"You know what daddy. He defeated the two men just from his motorcycle! His huge sword was ready for battle! He was so cool daddy!" Marlene said. She was extremely happy! She had never been on a motorcycle! "And he just used a few attacks! That was so cool daddy!" normally she would be shy, but apparently she was very impressed.

Tifa petrified. This was Cloud. "Cloud?" she hadn't seen him in 6 years and look now... he was wearing a black cloak that only showed his muscles on his body. His big sword was something new... but not unfamiliar. Cloud always carried big swords... but he had changed it. This one was bigger than the one she had seen 6 years ago. But it wasn't his body that screamed after her attention… it was his mako green eyes. They showed manners, stubbornness and of course Cloud.

"I'm Barret. Thanks for saving my daughter" Barret said, "Where're ya from?" he asked.

"I'm a former member of SOLDIER" Cloud answered, "...but nothing to say about it" he didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to remember. His mission was to find this group Avalanche and crush it. After that… maybe he could go on some holiday… He could visit Zack… or maybe go to Wutai… he didn't want to spend his holiday with the Turks… their only job was to make problems.

Tifa was shocked. This Cloud wasn't the same Cloud as 6 years ago. Yes some small signs but this Cloud was echoing of knowledge about battles. "Cloud?" she asked. What had this Cloud tried? What had this Cloud fought against?

"Tifa" Cloud nodded his head politely. "You don't know any place I could stay... I need some time to think," he said.

"Sure. Jack is renting out some rooms. But if you don't have the money" Tifa started,

"I have the money. It doesn't matter" Cloud answered harsh, he wasn't a kid anymore. He had earned enough by being Sephiroth's partner. He wasn't that weak kid anymore. He had become a great warrior. Yet he still felt that something was missing. There were still so many things he didn't understand.

"How have you been?" he asked carefully. He didn't need to remember all the things he had done when he was a kid. He was… Someone else now…

"Fine" she answered. "What about you? I haven't seen you in 6 years?" she asked.

Cloud looked away, "I was in Wutai" he simply answered. Nothing else was said. He didn't want to explain why he had been in Wutai.

A strange silence appeared in the crowded bar. Cloud felt everyone were staring at him.

Marlene slowly walked closer to Cloud and fast stole a few shinning jewels, "what's this?"

"Hey" Cloud fast stole it back, "It's called Materia. I use it in battles" he fast placed it in his belt again.

"Shinra use a lot of this crap?" Barret asked.

"Maybe. Materia is almost everywhere. And each Materia have different strengths" he knew a lot about material… his teacher had taught him a lot. His teacher… Sephiroth. His first try on using Materia had almost killed everyone near him… Sephiroth still laughed of it…

"I don't get it" Barret informed, "Materia? Just suckin' out the life of the planet," he said.

Cloud shook his head, "Using Materia are useful. Each Materia carry different powers. I carry a few spells like fire, ice, bolt and earth. Else I have healing spells like life, cure and foggy escape" he kneeled down and handed Marlene a Materia, "This is my favourite… Its normally working together with Chocobos" he smiled, "Chocobo mog… so if you get in trouble summon. Don't worry I carry the same Materia. A friend gave it to me. I have 3 Chocobo Mog Materia" he smiled. That friend had been Zack. In the beginning when they started working together Cloud had been the weak one. Zack had said the exact words to Cloud _"so if you get in trouble just summon"._

Marlene stared at him then she took it, "Thanks!" she yelled. "I have to show my friends!" she stormed out of the bar.

Barret stormed after her… probably telling her to be careful with the Materia.

"You surely know a lot" Tifa said, "When did you learn all that? From SOLDIER?" she asked.

"Yeah" he replied. "They gave me a great teacher," he mumbled. No! He shouldn't have said that. Whatever… he had to lay the bait out. Avalanche had to react on his bait!

"Who was your teacher?" Tifa asked curious.

"Sephiroth" Cloud answered. Yes the same Sephiroth that after Nibelheim refused working with others than Cloud and Zack… but Zack had returned to his home village.

She jumped a few steps away, "Sephiroth?" she asked shocked. "The popular Sephiroth that every boy dreamed of being like when we were kids?" she asked.

"Yeah" he answered.

"Why didn't I read about you in the newspaper?" she asked. She had looked… she had been worried.

"I managed to sneak of before they managed to write down my name or take my photo," he answered.

"I thought you wanted the attention?" Tifa asked. She felt strange… it was like Cloud was hiding something for her.

"No. It didn't matter. Sephiroth always worked hard for SOLDIER and I was the only guy who was able to work with him. I guess we knew each other" he stared up in the roof remembering, "We knew our weakness and our strength…we always fought… I think it was the only thing we had in common. We just fought… I never asked why… I just did it… In the end it was like being a robot"

Tifa stayed silent for a few seconds. Was this really the same Cloud? Was this really the same guy? She really didn't know Cloud… Not the new Cloud.

Barret entered the bar, "You worked with Shinra?"

"Yeah" Cloud answered. He stared back at Barret, "Sephiroth and I used to work together"

"What changed?" Marlene asked.

Cloud stared down at the little girl. She had just asked the perfect question… what had changed? Nothing had. He was doing this mission to crush the Avalanche. Maybe after this mission he could seriously consider taking a holiday. "Sephiroth wanted different things" he mumbled. Maybe he could contact Zack and they could go to Wutai and get drunk together? Cloud sighed. Who hadn't changed Zack had changed. He returned home to his parents. Even Sephiroth had changed… maybe it was because of all the death all of them had seen… or maybe was it really true Sephiroth didn't feel anything everything seemed to amuse him. Even death. Cloud sighed. He had changed himself. He was no longer the kid searching after adventures. He had changed too.

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**T**o **B**e **C**ontinued

A/N: You liked it? Please review… and the chapter was a little bit longer… but all talk… after all. I hope it's okay?

Love

Amarant Rose Coral.


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